Buffalo to Ban Police from Using Chokeholds
Buffalo Police Officers will not be able to use chokeholds.
On Thursday (June 4), Mayor Byron Brown made the announcement that officers with the Buffalo Police Department are banned from using chokeholds, according to WKBW. Chokeholds had previously not been explicitly banned. The Department is now creating a policy, stating that officers cannot use them.
The Mayor also said that other changes to policy will be coming. He has had discussions with protesters, who have been speaking out against the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and police reform here in WNY. Protesters also want a repeal of section 50-a of the civil rights law. A repeal would allow the public to see disciplinary records of police officers, according to WBEN.
"There's one thing we stand on getting done right away, preferably Monday, and that would be to repeal section 50-a. A half-century ago, segregation was repealed, yet disparities in how services are delivered, frankly, throughout government, but more importantly today, throughout law enforcement, has been very disparit. We're asking simply for equal justice under the law - it's real simple - equal justice under the law." ~ New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes via WBEN